Corporate seal



y 1961 E. BRUNHUBER ET AL 2,982,202

' CORPORATE SEAL Filed Jan. 13, 1958 INVENTORS Emll Brunhuber f Erwz'n Wolberg AT TORNEY- 2,982,202 'coiz'romrn snar Emil Brunhuber,

This invention relates to seals, or seal impressors, such as used to impress corporation seals or the like on legal documents. More particularly, the invention is directed to :1 novel light-weight, compact, and easily manipulated sea The common type of corporate seal is a weighty and bulky article, generally comprising a relatively heavy base having a seal or seal backing at or adjacent its forward end cooperable with a mating seal element on the forward end of an arm pivoted to the base at or near its rear end. A relatively heavy upwardly projecting handle is operatively associated with the arm to force the seal into a paper placed bet-ween the base and arm. The sevi a base wallll, side flanges 1'2, and a curved front wall 13.

The rear end of base is open, and flanges 12 have cam recesses 1-4 in their upper edges adjacent such rear end. Ann is likewise generally channel shape including a cover wall '12, side flanges 22, andacurved front wall 23. Rivets 26 or like pivots, extend through overlapped. side flanges 21 and 22 intermediate their ends. Flanges 22 have cam recesses 24 adjacent their rear ends and facing cam recesses 14. A seal element 25 is mounted in the forward end of arm 20 and is cooperable with a top or other seal element 25' inbase 10.

eral parts are relatively massive and generally of cast or stantially parallel relation when in the closed position, and

the inner surface of the forward ends of the base and arm carry cooperable seal impressing elements normally separated for insertion of a paper or other document therebetween in the open position of the seal. A spring biases the base and arm to an open position in which their forward ends have an increased separation and the rear ends more closely approach each other.

The operator for the seal comprises a channel shaped lever extending forwardly over the arm and embracing the latter in the closed position of the seal. This lever has a cam extending between its flanges at the rear end of the seal and cooperable with cam recesses in the rear ends of the base and arm.

Normally this lever extends upwardly from the seal and the cam permits the spring to bias the base and arm to the open position. When the lever is swung toward the arm, the cam forces the rear ends of the base and arm apart to, in turn, force the cooperable seal elements at the front of the base and arm into seal impressing engagement with an inserted paper or document.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevation views of a seal embodying the invention, respectively illustrating the open and closed positions thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the seal in the closed position; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the seal in the closed postion.

Referring to the drawing, the seal is illustrated as comprising a base 10, arm 20, and operating lever 30.

Base 10 is a generally channel shape member having Lever 30is generally channel shape, including-a base, wall 31 and flanges 32. Flanges 3-2 embrace the flanges 22 of arm 20, and base wall 31 is cut away adjacent its rear end, as at 33. Wall 31 extends beyond flanges 32 at its forward end to provide a curved lip 34 extending downwardly over the forward end of upper arm 20. A cam 35, in the form of an elongated relatively thick flat strip having rounded edges, extends between and is secured to flanges 32 in alignment with cam recesses 14 and '24. A spring 15 embraces rivets 26 and has free ends normally biasing the front ends of base 20 and arm 30 apart so that cam recesses 14 and 24 are maintained engaged with cam 35. By the cooperation of cam 35 and recesses 14 and 24, lever 30 is, in effect, pivotal about an axis'extending transversely of the seal between the rear ends of the arm and base.

In operation, with the seal in the open position of Fig. l, a paper is inserted in the forward end thereof. As lever 30 is swung toward arm 20, cam 35 forces the rear ends of the base and arm apart to close the seal on the paper and impress seal element 25 thereagainst. The seal will remain releasably locked in the closed position of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 until lip 34 is lifted. Thus, in the closed position, the seal is compact for easy storage and transportation. Even in the open position of Fig. 1, the seal requires less space than the usual corporate seal. Due to the channel construction of its parts, the seal is relatively lightweight.

The lever 30 with cam 35, in cooperation with the intermediate pivotal connection of base 10 and arm 30, provides adequate leverage for making a firm impression of seal 25 into a document.

While a specific embodiment of theinvention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A corporate seal comprising, in combination, a substantially flat relatively elongated base; a substantially flat relatively elongated arm substantially coextensive with said base, said arm extending substantially parallelto and along said base; means pivotally interconnecting said base and arm intermediate their ends; cooperable seal impressing means on the facing surfaces of the forward ends of said arm and base; an operating lever pivotal about an axis extending transversely of said seal between the rear ends of said arm and base and fixed relative to said base; a cam element secured to said lever and pivotal thereby about said axis, and having a camming edge spaced radially from said axis and extending transversely of said seal between the rear ends of said arm and base; spring means biasing the forward ends of said base and arm apart and the the rear end of said arm into engagement with said cam element; said lever being movable from a first position in which said camming edge is spaced radially from said axis in a direction along said base and substantially disengages the rear end of said arm to provide for movement of the rear ends of said base and arm toward each other, to open said seal for insertion of a document between said seal impressing means, to a second position in which said camming edge. is spaced ra- Patented May2, 1961:

3 dially from'said axis in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base and engages the rear end at said arm to force the rear ends of said base and arm apart to :force said seal impressing means into such document.

2. A seal as claimed in claim 1 in which said camelement comprises a relatively flat and thick strip engaged in cam recesses in said base and arm.

3. A seal as claimed in claim 1 in which Said lever lies against the outer surface of said arm in said second position.

4. A seal as claimed in claim 1 in which said base and arm are generally channel shape and have flanges overlapped intermediate their ends to receive said pivotal interconnecting means.

5. A seal as claimed in claim 1 in which said base and arm are generally channel shape and have flanges overlapped intermediate their ends to receive said pivotal interconnecting m said earn e ment comprising a relatively fiat and thick strip engaged in facing cam recesses in the flanges of said base and arm.

6. A seal as claimed in claim 5 in which said lever is channel shape and embraces said arm in said second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,889 Zander Febr4, 1896 588,927 Parkinson Aug. 24, 1897 989,824 Swan Apr. '18, 1911 2,101,119 Wilder Dec. 7, 1937 2,529,021 Heller Nov. 7, 1950 2,620,879 Fechter Dec. 9, 1952 

